Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-12-22
THE STORY OF THE TREE.
TY MRS. G. II BAILEY.

K LID aud brown stripped of its foil
AEN age, here and there bit of string
MY or scrap of furnished tinsel its
~ limbs grotesquely ornamented
with ill-shapcd masses OF cOlored wax
and thrown upon waste heaps together
with coal ashes and discarded tin cans
what could have been more unsightly
than this old Christmas Tree. But. for
the goo Know it must have done, /
staid my steps. meditating on what its
story might be. when there came a
rustling am ng its dry branches, and o
voice setmed to come In answer to my
thoughts And these were the words:
Ny home was away out yoncer where
the white fields meet the mountain. l
cant tell how many years my brothers
and spent playing with the Storm
King and whist ing in glee at his fiercest
blasts. But there came time in our
lives when all was changed. An I'M
known en- my captured us and we were
transported to the pa ement OF n busy
stirring city. From the groups of chat
tering children about us we learned our
MISSION The sp rit OF the crowd seemed
impaired TO us and we were happy.
But with the gladness came pride. and
with pride, discussion Our merits
were discussed SO often in our hearing
that We took up the sub ect and at times
the debate became so animated that our
limbs rustled with anger. IL am finer
than you!" "My limbs are fuller"
"Mv form is more perfect were heard
so often that wonder any of ua were
chosen to bear the gifts that shoul,I con-
WOW paarO and s-,,a,t will Einaltv npa
of our members, wiser than the c,shers.
proposed that the matter should come
to an end Mono of us could Judge cor
rectly of our own merits. The only way
was for each to perform the duties that
t q strong power should lay upon us,
and then after the work was completed,
the festivities ended. we should meet to-
gether, and each telling his own story,
the good accomplished should be the
criterion OF IL crit. So our contentious
ceased.
/ had no pride. Mad frolics with the
wind when was too young to know my
strength, an ugly chip from boys
knife, and the persistent crowding Of
an imperious tree, combined to stun my
growth, and so marrcd my beauty that
wondered my self at being brought
with my companions.
Turned over and pushed from side to
side as my Scothcrs were selected and
carried away, jeered at and laughed
over for my dcformity, of all, seemed
the only one who would h I'VE no story
to tell At last was left all alone.
lille wishing much that it might be
otherwise, n little carrier boy with
newspapers beneath his arm came hur.
rying along his delivery route. caught
his eye, and slackcnng his pace he
looked at mo so longingly that had l
but posse ssed the power, should have
stretched forth my limbs. Then heard
him say:
"Oh! If only could! But we're SO
poor'
Then w tn n suddenly changed voice
ho added, al will, "and turned his steps
and entered the store before which L
was stationed. He was gone but mo =
mcnt. He returned in company with q
brisk little man who was rubbing his
hands good naturcdly and saying:
'.Well, If were TO sell it, it would be
great deal moro than you could pay.
but you sec don't intend to, | mean to
give it to you. And see here, my boy"
and his face inst glowcd when he said
this. lis it little sister that is to be
made happy with that unsiShtly thingP
Well, come in some time when You are
at leisure. ! sec you are man OF busi-
ness and we will talk the thing over,
and may be find some thing about the
store to make your tree less ugly!
The boy said "thank yOu," but his
voice was so queer that looked up and
found tears In his frank eyes.
"rut! tut! my man." said the jolly
grocer, that will never do. Shoulder
Your tree and march off. ="
II must carry my papers first"